Ring-ditch

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on a fairly level landscape. Archaeological testing (04E0925) by D. Nelis (2005) at Testing Area 1 of Contract 4 of the M3 motorway identified archaeological material (excavations.ie 2004:1245) that was completely excavated (E003119) by C. Duffy (2010) as Ardbraccan 5 in May/June 2006 (excavations.ie 2007:1324) when 2621 square metres were opened and three ring-ditches were identified. This is a subcircular or oval area (int. dims c. 3m NE-SW; c. 2.2m NW-SE) defined by sections of a slot-trench (max. Wth 0.31m; max. D 0.14m) cut into the subsoil but it is absent (Wth 2m) NE-SE and has gaps at S (Wth 0.5m) and WSW (Wth 0.5m). It was filled with a purple/brown silty clay that had no inclusions and produced no artefacts or ecological material. No date can be ascribed, but is probably prehistoric. (Duffy 2010, 5-6)

See the attached plan from Duffy (2010, fig. 6)

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 25 March 2022

References

Duffy, C. 2010 M3 Clonee – North of Kells, Contract 4, Navan to Kells and Kells Bypass. Final Report on Ardbraccan 5, Co. Meath. Licence: E003119. Unpublished report, Irish Archaeological Consultancy

Nelis, D. 2005 M3 Clonee-North of Kells; Contract 4, Navan - Kells and Kells Bypass. Report on Archaeological Assessment at Testing Area 1 in Ardbraccan, County Meath. Licence: 04E0924. Unpublished report, Irish Archaeological Consultancy